1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instructional swing device for training users in proper sports swing technique. More particularly, the present invention relates to an instructional swing device to be worn by the user which does not inhibit the user""s swing and which is instructive of proper swing technique for baseball or golf using audible feedback to the user.
2. Background Information
A variety of athletic training devices have been developed for assisting users in improving and perfecting particular sports movements, such as a baseball, golf or tennis swing. There is a large collection of sport swing instructional devices which are directed towards restrictive harnesses that limit improper movement and permit only a xe2x80x9cproper swingxe2x80x9d. These restrictive harnesses do allow the user to become accustomed to the proper movements, but are not always effective since the user is not trained to perform the motion properly without the harness. Additionally, such harnesses do not always account for the timing or sequence of movements in a proper swing.
Passive (i.e., non-restraining) training devices have also been developed as instructional swing devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,551 to Bursi discloses a golf swing training device including a harness worn by the user which generates an audible signal during a proper swing. Specifically, the device includes an arm band with a protruding tab which is positioned to contact a corresponding tab on a strap attached to the user""s waist during the execution of a proper swing to provide the audible feedback.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,789 to Nakamura discloses a golf swing training device which includes detectors detecting contact of the golfer""s shoulder with the chin for identifying proper swing positioning as well as providing a detectable signal to the golfer in response to the sensed conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,365 to McTeigue et al. teaches a sport training device which incorporates a plurality of sensors adjacent the user, such as under the user""s feet and between the user""s hands and the golf club, for generating signals corresponding to the user""s movement. The sensors are used to develop training signals representing the relationship between the actual movement pattern and the desired movement pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,758 to Moore et al. discloses a spine motion analyzer for developing sports techniques such as the swinging of a golf club, tennis racket, baseball bat or the throwing of a ball. The analyzer comprises a wearable harness formed of a linkage mechanism in which transducers are connected to various linkage arms to provide electronic signals indicative of the user""s position throughout the swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,361 to Mastandrea et al. discloses a golf training aid which is positioned on the back of the golfer""s hand to provide the golfer with an audible signal when the golfer""s wrist has a selected angular orientation during critical portions of the golf club swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,707 to Fink discloses a physical training system which generates an audible signal during operation. It is intended that the audible signal be utilized as feedback for the user to allow the user to optimize his performance of a particular activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,960 to Gentilly discloses a golf training device which is intended to maintain the user""s head in the down position throughout the swing. The golf training device includes a harness for attaching the device to the user""s shoulder. Additionally, it includes a torso encircling strap to position the lower portion of the device.
In both baseball and golf, it is particularly advantageous for the user to have the proper hip rotation be performed in advance of the hands, since this results in maximum power. The above devices do not provide a simple, easily manufactured device for tracking or perfecting this motion for the user. Other known devices have concentrated on hip motion such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,817 to Duncan and U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,601 to Rilling.
The Duncan patent discloses a golf training device for monitoring a golfer""s swing indicating when the golfer""s swing is occurring properly. The device is intended to be clipped to the golfer""s belt. When the swing is properly carried out, the device will illicite an audible click, which occurs at generally uniform intervals such that the golfer can readily tell when the swing has been properly carried out.
The Rilling patent discloses a pivot trainer for golfers which is worn by the golfer in proximity to the hips to monitor and train effective hip motion during the swing. The device includes a transducer having an electronically conducting, moveable element. In operation, if the hips are properly rotated and the golfer is pivoted properly, a variable element contacts the moveable element completing the circuit causing an audible feedback signal to issue from the device.
These existing devices do not provide a pivot training device which is cost-effective to manufacture and sufficiently reliable to provide an appropriate audible feedback to the user during the desired hip rotation of a proper swing. It is the object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. It is another object of the present invention to provide an instructional swing device, particularly for baseball or golf, which is easy to utilize.
The above objects are achieved with an instructional swing device according to the present invention. The present invention comprises a vest or harness arrangement which positions an adjustable, stretchable activating strap across the torso of the user from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Attached to the activating strap is an audible indicating mechanism, such as a buzzer, which is activated by proper movement of the user through stretching or pulling of the activating strap. In operation, the audible indicating mechanism identifies a proper swing during use to assure that the user is performing the desired hip movement in advance of the hands.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the harness or vest is provided with means for reversing the orientation of the activating strap, wherein the activating strap may be switched to extend between the opposite shoulder and hip to accommodate either right-handed or left-handed users. The vest may be formed with only a single shoulder portion. In the harness arrangement the harness may include a shoulder strap and a hip strap with the stretchable, activating strap extending therebetween.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken together with the attached figures wherein like reference numerals represent like elements throughout.